Behind some Iranian weapons systems, a French company?

French company Sofradir, accused of providing China with military technology it would have sold to Iran.


And while some technologies used in weapons systems available to Iran was "Made in France"?
 
The 09STATE96222 memo, dated September 16, 2009, strongly suggested. Written by the staff of U.S. Secretary of State, the text acknowledges the French company Sofradir and its subsidiary Ulis sell highly advanced infrared detectors to a Chinese company. Zhejiang Dali Technology Company Ltd, was then sold to Iran.

The administration emphasizes that such infrared detectors are "components of thermal imaging systems [such as night vision goggles used by the army, ed]" and may, among other things, greatly improve the accuracy of battle tanks.

Technology, in short, that the United States has no desire to see the hands of Iran because it "increases the threat to American and allied forces present in the Gulf," according to diplomatic cable, ranked most important level of confidentiality of documents provided by WikiLeaks.

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This cable is the diplomatic one of the few on France in this first batch of documents issued by Wikileaks and released Sunday evening. The author strongly urges the U.S. ambassador in Paris to ask the French authorities to put pressure on Sofradir and Ulis so that the company stops providing this technology to China.

The document does not say if French companies were aware of the ultimate recipient of the transaction. Trade in the infrared detection technology is expected by the U.S. administration, be subject to control under the Wassenaar Arrangement (1996) which covers the export of conventional weapons and items and dual use technologies such that the detection systems.


Sofradir was founded in 1986 to the initiative of Directorate General of Armaments. The company is now No. 2 global infrared detectors. On its website, identifies equipment manufacturers of defense and security as its main customers.The company also claims that these products are used in equipment including missile detection.
 
The mention of Ulis in the diplomatic cable seems, however, more surprising. This subsidiary of Sofradir, founded in 2003, is not intended to work in the military field. It was specifically created to deal with Sofradir to develop and find commercial applications more "public" as infrared detectors.
This small business, if confirmed, he has continued after the sending of this diplomatic cable that goes back all the same to last year? Contacted by France 24, Sofradir and Ulis said they had no comment on that information.

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